


The Two of Us

by romeoandjulietyouwish



Series: Lis Writes 9-1-1 [33]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Angst, Crying, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Good Dad Owen Strand, Homophobia, Men Crying, Owen Strand is a Good Dad, TK Strand Needs A Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:20:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25393012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeoandjulietyouwish/pseuds/romeoandjulietyouwish
Summary: Prompt: Can you do one where TK's mom isn't really in his life. She couldn't accept that he way gay and puts TK in the middle of her and Owen. She comes to Austin for whatever reason.
Relationships: Owen Strand & TK Strand
Series: Lis Writes 9-1-1 [33]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1725208
Comments: 6
Kudos: 169





	The Two of Us

**Author's Note:**

> TW: homophobia

“Cap!” Mateo shouts from the truck bay, “There’s someone here for you!” 

Owen frowns from where he’s eating in the kitchen and makes confused eye contact with TK who is rummaging the kitchen. He barely knows anyone in Texas, who could possibly be visiting him at work? Nonetheless, he sets aside his foot and walks into the truck bay, TK curiously trailing behind him. 

When Owen sees the woman standing by the doors, his spine goes straight and he instinctively puts himself between TK and the woman, Gwen, TK’s mother. He feels TK stops in his tracks.

“What’s she doing here?” TK asks quietly. 

“I don’t know,” Owen says, keeping his eyes on his ex-wife. “You just go back to the kitchen, okay? I’ll deal with this” TK nods, not taking his eyes off of Gwen and does as his dad says. 

As he walks past Mateo, he gives him a nod to follow TK and he stands before the blonde woman. 

“What are you doing here, Gwen?” Owen crosses his arms. 

“Can’t a girl come and visit her husband and son at work?” She asks innocently. 

Owen seethes, “I’m not your husband and he’s not your son. You don’t even live in Texas, what the hell are you doing here?” 

Gwen sighs in annoyance and pops a hip as she stares at Owen. “I want a relationship with you and Tyler.” 

Owen scoffs, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. He doesn’t have time for this shit. “You didn’t want one ten years ago when you told TK that he deserved to rot in hell for who he loves.” Gwen stiffens at the reminder. “You hurt my son and by extension, you hurt me. You had a relationship with me and with TK, you were the one who burned it. It’s not up to you to decide you’ve moved past it.” 

Gwen sets her mouth into a hard, thin line, “I am his mother, Owen.” 

“And he is a grown adult,” Owen counters. “It’s up to him whether or not he wants to talk to you, but don’t hold your breath. You can see yourself out.” 

Owen doesn’t say goodbye to her as he turns around and walks back into the kitchen. He finds Mateo and TK sitting next to each other, TK clenching a glass of water tightly between his hands. Mateo squeezes his shoulder when he sees Owen walk in and leaves the room. 

“What did she want?” TK asks, looking down at the table as Owen sits down in the chair Mateo just vacated. 

“To reform a relationship between the three of us,” Owen tries to keep his voice neutral, he doesn’t want TK to choose one way or another based on what he thinks his dad wants, but he can’t keep the bitterness away.

TK scoffs and tips his head back. He looks over at Owen, “You told her to shove it up her ass right?” 

Owen chuckles, “That’s a no, I’m guessing?” 

TK’s demeanor changes instantly, looking hesitant, drumming his fingers against his glass. “That’s okay, right? That I don’t want to forgive her?” 

“Of course that's okay,” Owen squeezes TK’s arm with a soft smile. “Either way, I’m going to support you no matter what.” 

TK looks down at his hands, “I don’t think I can ever see her and not associate her with one of the worst moments of my life. I think about the things she said to me every day and there are some days when I start to think they’re true.” He’s silent for a moment and then he looks up at Owen with watery eyes. 

“Buddy…” Owen pulls TK into a hug, letting TK cry into his shoulder. Owen takes a deep breath. 

He had come home from work to find Gwen towering over a thirteen year old TK, shouting at him, her face red in anger. TK’s head was bowed in shame, no reacting visible on his face except for the tears that dripped onto the floor. Owen was quick to step between them. He told Gwen to get out of their apartment and locked the door behind her. 

When Owen turned around, TK was looking at him with such fear and pain that it broke his heart. TK’s cheeks were soaking wet with tears and his skin was pale. Owen pulled his son into a tight hug, kissing the top of his head and soothing him as best he could while TK sobbed into his arms, saying he was sorry over and over again. Owen kept his voice as soft as he could and told TK that it wasn’t his fault. 

Owen didn’t even know what happened that night until two days later when TK sat him down on the couch and stuttered his way through telling his dad that he was gay. From there he talked about that night. He said that he had told Gwen and she’d started yelling all these awful things at him. Owen hated how still TK was as he repeated the insults his mother had thrown at him like he believed every word of them. 

Owen just hugged his child, much like he is doing now, wishing more than anything that he could just keep him safe from anything that could ever hurt him, wishing he could take the pain away. 

So Owen says the only thing he can think of, the same thing he told TK the night he finalized the divorce papers, “We’re enough, just the two of us. It’s all gonna be okay.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!
> 
> Tumblr- @evanbuckley-heartofgold


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